FTP²: The Future of High‑Performance Electric Assistance
Van Rysel has unveiled the FTP² at VeloFollies 2026, a concept bike created to explore new possibilities in speed, aerodynamics and advanced system integration. This project, the most complex the Flemish brand has developed to date, features a central element: a MAHLE M40, specifically engineered for this initiative.
Although the FTP² will not be commercialised, it serves as a research platform to examine how electric assistance can evolve within high‑performance applications.
A Concept Designed to Double the Rider’s Input
The name FTP² reflects the project’s purpose: to analyse how a highly integrated electric assistance system could effectively double a rider’s Functional Threshold Power.
To achieve this, Van Rysel and MAHLE SmartBike Systems collaborated on a special version of the MAHLE M40, developed exclusively for this prototype. This motor amplifies the rider’s input to explore extreme‑speed scenarios in a controlled environment, unconstrained by the usual limits applied to e‑bikes.
The bike has been in development for several years alongside strategic partners such as Swiss Side, following a system‑level approach in which every component contributes to overall performance.
A Fully Integrated Ecosystem
FTP² is not just a bicycle: it is a complete system combining aerodynamics, electronics and product design. According to Van Rysel, the aim was to investigate the potential of a totally integrated ecosystem including:
- A Formula 1‑inspired cockpit, providing enhanced control directly from the handlebars for improved safety.
- Internally developed electronics, such as integrated shoe tightening and custom lighting.
- A new rider–machine interface, with shoes that remove traditional fastenings and clip‑in mechanisms, and are controlled wirelessly from the cockpit.
- A skinsuit with integrated protection, designed to enhance safety and aerodynamics.
- A hybrid helmet, combining an EU‑certified base with an aerodynamic carbon shell co‑developed with Swiss Side, attaching directly to the helmet.
Together, these elements turn the FTP² into a rolling laboratory for future developments in e‑road and performance‑driven electric platforms.
The MAHLE M40 at the Core of the Project
For MAHLE SmartBike Systems, the FTP² project demonstrates the flexibility and potential of its lightweight assistance platform when applied to new performance scenarios. Collaboration with Van Rysel has enabled both teams to examine how advanced integration between motor, frame and aerodynamics can open new possibilities for the future of e‑road systems.
The M40 used in this concept does not correspond to a commercial MAHLE System; it is a unit created to test new configurations in a controlled environment.
A Project Designed to Inspire the Industry
Wim Van Hoecke, FTP² Project Manager and E‑Bike Product Manager at Van Rysel, highlights the project’s exploratory nature:
“For the first time, we have developed a unique carbon frame designed to be used in real‑world conditions. Removing speed limits, multiplying the rider’s input and building our own electronics allowed us to study extreme performance as a unified system. FTP² represents the most complex development we have undertaken at Van Rysel.”
Although the concept bike will not reach the market, the insights generated through FTP² will influence future developments for both Van Rysel and its technological partners.
